Senior female officers take part in command training for UN peacekeeping operations

KUALA LUMPUR: Police should reflect the gender diversity of the community so as to better serve the people, said the High Commissioner of Canada to Malaysia, Julia Bentley.
"We need a feminine policy that promotes peace and security, community engagement and conflict resolution," Bentley said on the sidelines of the Female Senior Officer Command Development Course at the Royal Malaysian Police College (RMPC) in Cheras, here today.
The course, which runs from Jan 14 to 20, is part of a United Nations effort to put more women in command roles as part of its peacekeeping operations.
The programme is co-hosted by the Royal Malaysian Police, Aseanapol and the UN, sponsored by Canada.
Bukit Aman Management (Training) deputy director DCP Datuk T. Narenasagaran said the course would go a long way in helping the UN keep the peace in tense conflict zones.
"It is significant in having women to have more say in command roles as they bring a different perspective and empathy to the equation," he said.
Meanwhile, UN Police Adviser in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations Commissioner Luis Carrilho said that currently, only 12% of such roles are occupied by women, and the UN wants to bring it up to 50%.
A total of 35 senior female officers – including 11 Malaysians – are enrolled in the course, which is the second of four planned UN courses, focusing on English-speaking countries.
"The first was in Morocco, second here, the third will be in Latin America and the final one will be somewhere that will host French-speaking countries," Carrilho added.
Narenasagaran was joined by Carrilho, RMPC Commandant DCP Datuk Yong Lei Choo and Bentley.
Besides Malaysia, other officers attending the course are from Bangladesh, India, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Fiji, Finland, Thailand, Indonesia, Jamaica, Singapore, and Nepal.